Kathy Bates understands the feeling of being overlooked and underestimated, particularly in an industry like Hollywood that often prioritizes youth.

Before sharing a favorite anecdote, Bates, 76, kindly prefaces it with, “Excuse my language.” The story is about two-time Oscar-l winner Shelley Winters, who was once told to bring a photo and her resume to an audition later in her career.

“So, Winters pulled out one of her Oscars from her bag, slammed it down on the desk, and said, ‘Here’s my (expletive) picture.’ Then she put down the next Oscar and said, ‘Here’s my (expletive) resume,'” Bates recounts. “As actors, we understand the experience of aging and feeling invisible. It can feel like our best days are behind us.”

Bates’ worries about her career being in decline were present before she accepted the role of lawyer Madeline “Matty” Matlock in CBS’s reboot of “Matlock.” This week, the show settles into its Thursday night slot (9 EDT/PDT), following a wildly successful sneak peek on September 22 that attracted over 11 million viewers. These days, the conversation around this Oscar winner, known for her role in “Misery,” focuses on how long she’ll be part of “Matlock.”

Executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman, known for creating and executive producing CW’s “Jane the Virgin,” highlighted Bates’ star power when presenting “Matlock” to CBS executives. Having Bates attached to the project immediately conveyed the show’s potential for both depth and humor, bolstered by one of this generation’s greatest talents.

“When I was explaining the show’s concept to CBS, I definitely said, ‘Picture Kathy Bates in this role,'” explained Urman. “And to actually land Kathy is truly remarkable.”

Despite her past success with five seasons on FX’s “American Horror Story,” and earning a 2020 Academy Award nomination for her role as a determined mother in Clint Eastwood’s “Richard Jewell,” Bates was facing a rough patch in her career. After a film project fell through, she found herself contemplating “semi-retirement” with her agent.

However, while reading the script for “Matlock,” Bates was pleasantly surprised to discover her immediate affection for the character. This show revolves around an underestimated lawyer in her seventies trying to return to the legal field. As Matty states in the premiere, “There’s this amusing thing that happens when women get older. We become nearly invisible. It’s interesting because nobody expects us.”

What is Matty Matlock’s Relationship with Ben Matlock?

Matty Matlock is not related to the iconic defense attorney Ben Matlock, portrayed by Andy Griffith.

Matty openly expresses her misfortune of sharing the same surname as the beloved character from the original “Matlock” series that aired on NBC from 1986 to 1992 and continued for a third season on ABC until 1995.

However, this is a cover: the first episode reveals that Matty is not the down-to-earth widow she pretends to be. Instead, the Matlock name is a facade for wealthy vigilante lawyer Madeline Kingston. Kingston is covertly amassing information to bring to light a law firm partner who concealed documents that could have removed opioids from the market a decade ago.

This means that Madeline Kingston is secretly working to bring to justice one of the law partners — including the idealistic partner Olympia Lawrence (Skye Marshall), Olympia’s estranged spouse Julian (Jason Ritter), and, significant to the storyline, Julian’s father, the head of the law firm, Senior (Beau Bridges).

The shocking finale of Episode 1 reveals that even Matty’s seemingly worthless husband, who has passed away, is yet another fabrication. Kingston’s devoted husband Edwin (Sam Anderson) is a part of a plot to seek revenge for the overdose death of their daughter.

Bates shared her thoughts, stating, “This really piqued my interest.” She found it to be profound.

She decided to join the project, which features comedic scenarios reminiscent of “Matlock.” These include a bizarre stress-dream sequence where Matty dons a classic seersucker suit, capturing the attention of both “Matlock” fans and newcomers to legal dramas. The revival is generating such excitement that Bates caused quite a stir when she mentioned retirement, calling her participation in the emotionally charged series her “last dance” in a September interview with The New York Times.

Kathy Bates comments on retirement buzz

Bates expressed her surprise, laughing at how upset fans became over her retirement comments, which prompted her to clarify her intentions. “I’m not going anywhere for a while,” Bates reassured. “I was feeling the pressures of the show and the expectations placed upon me at that moment. It was an honest reflection of my feelings that night. But I have no desire to retire; this series has been an unanticipated joy, especially at this stage of my life.”

Bates enjoyed reintroducing herself to the audience during a villain tribute segment at last month’s Primetime Emmy Awards. The tribute highlighted her iconic role as Annie Wilkes in the 1990 film “Misery” and showcased her impressive weight loss of up to 100 pounds over the last seven years.

“It felt like both a comeback and a new beginning since losing weight. I felt fantastic in a beautiful gown,” Bates stated. “Looking at the red carpet photos, I see a new me, one that feels more at ease and like I truly belong.”

Matlock candidly talks about her romantic escapades: ‘It’s not often we hear this’

Urman assures that the first season of “Matlock” will unveil the mystery surrounding the villain who destroyed crucial opioid documents. However, Matty will also embark on new legal escapades, often humorously sharing stories about her romantic life that catch her audience off guard. “When an older woman speaks about sex, it surprises people because it’s not something we typically hear,” she explained. “But let’s be clear: older women do have sexual lives and are familiar with things like condoms. She’s been around the block.”

Bates transitioned from feeling exhausted from the rigors of showbiz to joyfully reflecting on her experience as she drove home after finishing the first season of filming earlier this month.

“I was dozing off and suddenly it felt like it was all a dream,” Bates recalled. “Everything just seemed unreal.”